Tag Archives: Poetry

THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY —- AUGUST 21, 2026 PREVIEW

THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY: The latest issue features ‘End Of The Pier Show’ – What Farage’s election gamble says about the state of British politics.

The curtain came down last week on the summer sideshow of the Clacton byelection, called by Nigel Farage amid mounting scrutiny of his finances.

For our big story this week, Daniel Boffey explores what this campaign – in which the Reform UK leader’s main challenger was a parody candidate called Count Binface – tells us about the current state of politics in Britain.

Farage’s byelection win brought the situation full circle as, shortly after he was declared victor, parliament’s standards watchdog announced it had reopened its investigation into him, report Rowena Mason and Peter Walker.

Analysing the result, political correspondent Alexandra Topping brands the contest futile and says that while Farage aimed to make the financial questions surrounding him disappear, it was the MP himself who has been absent from the political stage over the past few weeks.

Spotlight | Scramble for soldiers
As battlefield losses mount, Pjotr Sauer asks whether Vladimir Putin will order another mobilisation

Science | Wing and a prayer
A disease threatening bat species has spread to northern Canada. Trina Moyles reports on the race to find a cure

Feature | A hymn to the weekend
In 1926, Henry Ford gave his employees both Saturdays and Sundays off – and the two-day chunk of time to party, pray or simply do nothing was born. Now the weekend has changed beyond recognition, says Jess Cartner-Morley

Opinion | Meet the second most dangerous man in the US
As chief US diplomat, Marco Rubio could do great good. But, says Simon Tisdall, his pandering and neglect are a disgrace we shouldn’t ignore

Culture | Through my eyes
As their new album is released, Sam Smith talks to Juan A Ramírez about fans, fame and finding sanctuary in New York

THE NEW YORK TIMES – WEDNESDAY, AUG. 19, 2026

A Stunning Win for the Left in Florida: 6 Takeaways From Tuesday’s Primaries

State Representative Angie Nixon, a progressive firebrand, used grass-roots enthusiasm to defeat a moderate. Can it carry her to victory in November?

Ukraine’s Ex-Defense Minister Calls for Election, Cementing Break With Zelensky

Mykhailo Fedorov, a popular young leader who was fired last month, said Russia should not be allowed to dictate when Ukrainians can choose their next government.

With Limited Options, Trump Tries Economic Pressure on Iran — Again

Iran has survived decades of sanctions. Faced with more, it is likely to escalate rather than surrender, analysts said.

Tariffs on Hold as Trump Claims Deal With Canada Is Near

Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada was less definitive about what the intense talks produced, saying “important work” remained.

    THE NEW YORK TIMES – TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2026

    Florida Primary Underscores State’s New Identity as a Republican Juggernaut

    The G.O.P. holds every statewide elected office and has drastically swung voter registration. A new congressional map has added four Republican-leaning seats.

    How Israel’s Financial Chokehold Is Stifling the West Bank Economy

    Intensifying restrictions have hit every part of the territory’s dealings, spurring worries about whether the Palestinian Authority can remain solvent.

    Facing Quagmire in Iran, Trump Turns to a Familiar Face: Kim Jong-un

    Seven years ago, President Trump failed to disarm North Korea and walked away. Could the same thing happen with Iran?

    States Seek $200 Billion From Meta Over Child Social Media Addiction Claims

    California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are taking the social media giant to trial in the first bellwether federal case over child harm.

    Silicon Valley Executives Are Tech Fans. Just Not for Their Own Children.

    Parents in the industry are practicing moderation and restraint at home. They might be onto something.

    THE NEW YORK TIMES – MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2026

    China Wants to Shape What the World’s A.I. Knows

    China is exporting more than A.I. models. It wants to influence chatbots, raising fears that Beijing’s narratives will spread with the technology.

    With A.I. Riches at Stake, Pressures Mount to Share the Wealth

    Iran Is Bracing for Conflict Abroad and at Home

    Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment of loyalists to top jobs suggests he is prepared to keep the country on a war footing and to quash domestic dissent.

    U.S. and Iran Blow Through Deadline to Agree to Broad Deal toEnd War

    President Trump said a cease-fire agreed to in June would lead to limits on Iran’s nuclear program and finish the conflict, but the countries appear far apart.

    Trump’s Overture to Kim Jong-un Strains Alliance With South Korea

    President Trump wants to curtail military exercises with South Korea, saying they were hostile to North Korea. But under Mr. Kim, the North has become increasingly belligerent toward the South.

    THE NEW YORK TIMES – SUNDAY, AUGUST 16, 2026

    The U.S. Military Wants A.I. Dominance. Feuds and China May Thwart It.

    The Trump administration is veering wildly in its response to the national security implications of A.I. as China charges ahead.

    Trump’s Other Hold on the Americas: The Visa

    As part of its expansionist approach to the Western Hemisphere, the administration is trying to reassert its dominance, one U.S. visa at a time.

    As Iran War Turns Into Economic Battle, New U.S. Strategy Recalls Old Ones

    The U.S. and Iran are poised to blow past Monday’s self-imposed deadline to broker terms on peace and Iran’s nuclear program.

    How a False Nuclear Claim About Iran Ricocheted From India to Washington

    A dubious post that spread on X became the basis of false claims that Iran’s leadership had declared the country a nuclear power.

    How a Ukrainian Bank Worker Came to Face Life in a Russian Prison

    Artem Murdid, his mother and his girlfriend are accused of terrorism. They say they did nothing wrong.

    THE NEW YORK TIMES – SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2026

    Prosecutors Examined Firm With Tie to Judge in Trump Hush Money Trial

    A U.S. attorney subpoenaed a firm that had been co-owned by the daughter of the judge who conducted the trial that led to President Trump’s felony conviction.

    How Cyclospora Evaded the U.S. Food Safety System to Sicken Thousands

    The Trump administration delayed a rule last year that could have sped up the effort to pinpoint the source of the contamination.

    Navy Carrier’s Problems Are Tied to Attacks on U.S. Base in Bahrain

    As China Pushes to Expand in Asia, Trump Focuses on Iran

    Asian allies are beginning to wonder whether the U.S. would or could defend them in a war.

    The Iranian YouTube Show Posing Questions Few Dare to Ask

    Azad, a popular online debate program, has tackled topics that push the limits in Iran’s authoritarian system. Many wonder how it has remained on air.

    Israeli Strikes in Lebanon Kill 9 People, Health Officials Say

    THE NEW YORK TIMES – FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2026

    Little Thefts, Big Charges: Trump’s Justice Dept. Targets Lesser Fraud

    As the Trump administration drops charges against corporations and the wealthy, it is also taking aim at small-scale fraud cases.

    Concerns Grow Over Conditions on Navy Carrier Deployed for Months

    The U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln has been deployed for nearly nine months. Members of Congress are worried about the crew’s well-being.

    Inside Russia’s Giant Push to Upend a Tiny Country

    In Moldova, Moscow paid Orthodox priests, conducted a vote-buying scheme and set up training camps on election interference — all in an effort to derail the Western-leaning government.

    As Europe Gets Hotter, Its Transportation Systems Struggle to Cope

    The continent’s railways and roads “were engineered for a climate that no longer exists,” one expert said.

    One Sudanese City Is the Civil War’s Latest Battleground

    Taking El Obeid would allow the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces to consolidate its hold on western Sudan, a significant strategic goal.

    THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY —- AUGUST 14, 2026 PREVIEW

    THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY: The latest issue features ‘Wrecking Ball’ – How Infantino and FIFA shook planet football.

    When a crisis brought on by a rash idea that results in the most prominent part of an organisation saying it will boycott the business’s showcase event doesn’t die down after a couple of weeks, observers might expect the boss to be considering his future. Not when it’s Fifa and not when it’s Gianni Infantino, the president of football’s world governing body and the subject of this week’s big story.

    Jonathan Wilson’s witty account of how Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors led to the current standoff between Infantino and Fifa’s regional associations is riveting even if you are not a football fan. Jonathan explains how money, egos and some murky politicking collided to elect Infantino on the promise of reform. It’s a tale that has little to do with the sport and its ardent fans, and has far more in common with Shakespeare or a political drama. With a neat circularity, it traces how “Fifa’s attempt to move on from the crisis caused by the executive who rented an apartment for his cats in Trump Tower has wound up back in Trump Tower, with a president who rents an office there”.

    Spotlight | ‘I’ll cut your throat’
    Five years after the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, women are being killed with impunity. A reporting team from Zan Times collects shocking evidence of femicide

    Environment | Smoke alarm
    As wildfires grow in frequency and spread, environment correspondent Ajit Niranjan reports of the race to untangle the links between exposure to fine particulates in smoke and increased mortality

    Feature | War and language learning
    Soon after her first reporting trip to Ukraine, our chief culture writer Charlotte Higgins began to learn Ukrainian. She explains how the process taught her more about herself than she had expected

    Opinion | Rule breakers need regulation
    The revelation that AI went rogue in test conditions should be a call for a wise US leader to back the introduction of an international rule-based order, says Rafael Behr

    Culture | What’s eating Dominic Sessa?
    Being cast as the lead in Tony, the biopic of bad-boy chef and Kitchen Confidential author Anthony Bourdain let Sessa immerse himself in the 1970s where, he tells Ryan Gilbey, he wouldn’t mind staying

    THE NEW YORK TIMES – THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2026

    Russian Strikes on Dozens of Grain Ships Threaten Global Food Supplies

    The deadly strikes are part of a long-running maritime battle with Ukraine and echo battles over other key shipping routes around the world.

    For Trump, Secret Flight Was a Stunning Ruse. For Putin, ‘a Regular Tuesday.’

    Putin Visits Islands Seized From Japan in World War II, Angering Tokyo

    Premier’s Death Rekindles Memories of a More Open China

    Tributes recalled Zhu Rongji’s spirited style and his efforts to integrate China into global commerce, in contrast with the rigidity of the Xi Jinping era.

    Homeland Security Paid $464 Million for Airplanes. Then It Parked Them.

    The agency used a no-bid contract to buy 10 used jets, saying they were urgently needed for deportation flights. But the fleet has largely sat idle for months.

    Hegseth Is Pressed to Clarify His Lawyer’s Role in Promotion Decisions

    THE NEW YORK TIMES – WEDNESDAY, AUG. 12, 2026

    Democratic Socialist Falls in Tight Wisconsin Primary for Governor

    Francesca Hong, a progressive who had led in opinion polls, lost to David Crowley, a moderate Democrat and Milwaukee County executive.

    With Trump Secretly Evacuated, Imperiled Air Force One Became a Flying Decoy

    With Trump Secretly Evacuated, Imperiled Air Force One Became a Flying Decoy

    In response to a threat against the jet, President Trump was clandestinely removed in a catering container. But the plane was sent into the skies anyway.

    President Pins Plane Swap on Secret Service and Military

    Iran Said to Have Known Details of Trump’s Stay at NATO Summit

    In Europe, the Total Solar Eclipse Is Hours Away

    Continental Europe’s first total solar eclipse in decades will briefly turn day to dark across several countries, drawing armies of sky watchers.